The inside scoop on food in Los Angeles

The unofficial 'True Blood' cookbook readied for spring bites

August 24, 2011 | 2:48
pm

There doesn’t seem to be much eating happening on HBO’s hit show “True Blood.” The supernatural characters like to keep a strict diet of one item in particular: blood.

Vampires Bill Compton and Eric Northman frequently fancy feasting on Sookie Stackhouse’s magic fairy blood, and for the human-friendly vampires there are bottles of True Blood, the synthetic drink meant to quench their unbearable thirst, minus the use of fangs. Most of the show does happen to center around the staff at Sam Merlotte’s restaurant and bar Merlotte’s, but characters actually eating real food? Not in Bon Temps.

This detail didn’t dismay JoAnn Mathias, Melissa Lowery and Elizabeth Henderson (the latter two founded the true-blood.net “True Blood” fan site) from creating the unofficial Sookie Stackhouse cookbook. Vampire-loving fans can bring a taste of their favorite characters into their kitchens with Creole recipes such as Sookie’s steamy crawfish étouffée, Jason’s bourbon smashed potatoes and Bill’s bite-me biscuits.

Other recipes include Bubba's hunk-of-burning-love fried potatoes and Miss Jeanette's wild-eyed zombie shots. And for dessert? A recipe for deep fried Oreos inspired by Merlotte's sassy spatula-wielding cook Lafayette. For the die-hards, the authors threw in some character gossip, quotes from the show and tips and trivia on Southern food.